Red Dress | SUNGJOY

Chapter Thirty Two

"HOFFNUNG"

(HOPE)

...

Three days passed. Sungjae barely slept. He stayed at the hospital during her sessions. Walked her back to her room. Sat beside her when she pretended not to need company. And every time she smiled at him—

It hurt. Because he knew something she didn't. Her mother was gone.

He'd saved her contact name in his phone as "Mom 🌸" after Sooyoung once used his phone to call her. Now that contact would never light up again.

One evening, Joohyun found him sitting alone in the hallway.

"You haven't told her," she said quietly.

He shook his head.

"She's barely stable physically. If I tell her now..."

His voice trailed off. Joohyun sat beside him.

"She'll find out eventually."

"I know."

His hands trembled slightly.

"But I want her to have at least one fight at a time."

He looked exhausted in a way sleep couldn't fix.

⸻

Two days later, Sooyoung was resting after treatment when Sungjae stepped outside again to answer a call.

Her father.

"I've transferred the first portion," the man said. "Use it for her hospital bills."

"I didn't agree yet," Sungjae replied.

"You don't have to. I already sent it."

Sungjae's jaw tightened.

"I don't want her finding out this way."

"She won't. Not unless you tell her."

Silence.

Then, quieter—

"I failed her mother," the father admitted. "I failed my eldest daughter. Let me do this much."

That was the first time the man sounded human.

Not proud. Not distant. Just broken.

Sungjae exhaled slowly.

"...Fine."

But he added firmly:

"If you ever use this to control her, I pull out immediately."

"I understand."

The call ended.

From inside the room, Sooyoung had woken up. And through the slightly open door—